NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers urged a judge again Friday to throw out his hush money conviction, balking at the prosecution’s suggestion of preserving the verdict by treating the case the way some courts do when a defendant dies. They called the idea “absurd.” The Manhattan district attorney's office is asking Judge Juan M. Merchan to “pretend as if one of the assassination attempts against President Trump had been successful,” Trump’s lawyers wrote in a blistering 23-page response. In court papers made public Tuesday, District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office proposed an array of options for keeping the historic conviction on the books after Trump’s lawyers filed paperwork earlier this month asking for the case to be dismissed. They include freezing the case until Trump leaves office in 2029, agreeing that any future sentence won't include jail time, or closing the case by noting he was convicted but that he wasn't sentenced and his appeal wasn’t resolved because of presidential immunity. Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove reiterated Friday their position that the only acceptable option is overturning his conviction and dismissing his indictment, writing that anything less will interfere with the transition process and his ability to lead the country. The Manhattan district attorney’s office declined comment. It’s unclear how soon Merchan will decide. He could grant Trump’s request for dismissal, go with one of the prosecution’s suggestions, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court, or choose some other option. In their response Friday, Blanche and Bove ripped each of the prosecution’s suggestions. Halting the case until Trump leaves office would force the incoming president to govern while facing the “ongoing threat” that he’ll be sentenced to imprisonment, fines or other punishment as soon as his term ends, Blanche and Bove wrote. Trump, a Republican, takes office Jan. 20. “To be clear, President Trump will never deviate from the public interest in response to these thuggish tactics,” the defense lawyers wrote. “However, the threat itself is unconstitutional.” The prosecution’s suggestion that Merchan could mitigate those concerns by promising not to sentence Trump to jail time on presidential immunity grounds is also a non-starter, Blanche and Bove wrote. The immunity statute requires dropping the case, not merely limiting sentencing options, they argued. Blanche and Bove, both of whom Trump has tabbed for high-ranking Justice Department positions, expressed outrage at the prosecution’s novel suggestion that Merchan borrow from Alabama and other states and treat the case as if Trump had died. Blanche and Bove accused prosecutors of ignoring New York precedent and attempting to “fabricate” a solution “based on an extremely troubling and irresponsible analogy between President Trump" who survived assassination attempts in Pennsylvania in July and Florida in September “and a hypothetical dead defendant.” Such an option normally comes into play when a defendant dies after being convicted but before appeals are exhausted. It is unclear whether it is viable under New York law, but prosecutors suggested that Merchan could innovate in what’s already a unique case. “This remedy would prevent defendant from being burdened during his presidency by an ongoing criminal proceeding,” prosecutors wrote in their filing this week. But at the same time, it wouldn’t “precipitously discard” the “meaningful fact that defendant was indicted and found guilty by a jury of his peers.” Prosecutors acknowledged that “presidential immunity requires accommodation” during Trump’s impending return to the White House but argued that his election to a second term should not upend the jury’s verdict, which came when he was out of office. Longstanding Justice Department policy says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution . Other world leaders don’t enjoy the same protection. For example, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on trial on corruption charges even as he leads that nation’s wars in Lebanon and Gaza . Trump has been fighting for months to reverse his May 30 conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records . Prosecutors said he fudged the documents to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier, which Trump denies. In their filing Friday, Trump’s lawyers citing a social media post in which Sen. John Fetterman used profane language to criticize Trump’s hush money prosecution. The Pennsylvania Democrat suggested that Trump deserved a pardon, comparing his case to that of President Joe Biden’s pardoned son Hunter Biden, who had been convicted of tax and gun charges . “Weaponizing the judiciary for blatant, partisan gain diminishes the collective faith in our institutions and sows further division,” Fetterman wrote Wednesday on Truth Social. Trump’s hush money conviction was in state court, meaning a presidential pardon — issued by Biden or himself when he takes office — would not apply to the case. Presidential pardons only apply to federal crimes. Since the election, special counsel Jack Smith has ended his two federal cases , which pertained to Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss and allegations that he hoarded classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate. A separate state election interference case in Fulton County, Georgia, is largely on hold. Trump denies wrongdoing in all. Trump had been scheduled for sentencing in the hush money case in late November. But following Trump’s Nov. 5 election victory, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed the former and future president’s sentencing so the defense and prosecution could weigh in on the future of the case. Merchan also delayed a decision on Trump’s prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. A dismissal would erase Trump’s conviction, sparing him the cloud of a criminal record and possible prison sentence. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office.FIFA confirms 2034 World Cup coming to Saudi Arabia

( MENAFN - UkrinForm) Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov, Head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, held a working meeting with Anatolii Zahorodnii, President of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, and Volodymyr Horbulin, First Vice President. As reported by Ukrinform, this information was provided by the press service of the Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR). "The Head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov, held a working meeting with the President and the First Vice President of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Anatolii Zahorodnii and Volodymyr Horbulin. They discussed current national security issues, specifically the creation and production of advanced weapon systems. They exchanged views on potential solutions aimed at strengthening the country's defense capabilities," the statement reads. As noted, the participants of the meeting agreed to deepen collaboration for the development of satellite and unmanned systems and technologies. "Today, we must respond to challenges as well as anticipate them. This requires innovation, clear planning, the expertise, and potential of the country's best strategists and scientists. No matter how difficult it may be, we are obligated to support and develop our science because it is of fundamental importance for the defense and development of Ukraine," the press service quotes Budanov as saying. The meeting with academics Volodymyr Horbulin and Anatolii Zahorodnii was an important step toward strengthening Ukraine in its confrontation with the aggressor state, Russia, the HUR statement notes. As previously reported by Ukrinform, cyber specialists from the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense gained control over the web servers of official Russian government portals, including the websites of the State Duma and the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation. MENAFN13122024000193011044ID1108991814 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.Things are really starting to cook for Barakah Eats , a Surrey family business that makes South Asian-influenced, ready-to-eat meals sold in stores and served at a growing number of hospitals, schools and other institutions. Cooked and packaged at a Newton plant since 2019, the Khan family's butter chicken, channa masala, beef haleem and other products come frozen in bags and boxes, ready for the microwave. The company recently scored the Emerging Business trophy during the 2024 Rise Awards hosted by BC Food & Beverage, a not-for-profit association representing the province's food and beverage processing industry. Rushd Khan operates Barakah Eats with the help of father Zafar, mother Lubna, wife Arshiya and a dozen employees. "We're very proud of the award, which reinforces our mission since we've launched this business as an extension of our family business including the restaurant ( Gulberg Tandoor , located near the KPU Surrey campus in Newton)," Rushd said. "It (the award) will help with the growth of our businesses, for sure." In a competitive frozen-food market, key for Barakah Eats products is halal certification — food that adheres to Islamic dietary laws and regulations. "Some hospitals, like Surrey Memorial, Langley and BC Children's Hospital just this month, they started using some of our products for patient care because they're halal-certified," Rushd explained. "That has been a gap among hospital patients, who can now ask for halal-certified meals. The hospitals noticed that there was a lot of food waste, because some people couldn't eat the food." Barakah Eats products have been tasted at BC Halal Food Festivals at Holland Park in recent summers and will be featured at the new Halal Expo Vancouver, planned Feb. 7-8 at Cloverdale Agriplex (details on halalexpovancouver.com ). In Arabic, the company name means "blessings," a word embraced by the Khan family. "I never thought it would get to this, with people all over the place eating our food. It's unbelievable," patriarch Zafar Khan said. "Food is my passion, you know, so we have a tandoor in my backyard when we built our house, where we make naan," he added. "I went to back to Pakistan to learn how to make it, and at that time we didn't have a restaurant or anything yet." Looking ahead, the Khans aim to grow the Barakah Eats name in the food manufacturing market. "We see ourselves becoming more of a national company, hopefully by next year," Rushd said. "Right now our business is predominantly in B.C. We do some business outside of B.C. with our vegetarian products, but the meat license with CFIA certification (Canadian Food Inspection Agency), that's our target right now. Once we get over that hump, that opens up a lot of doors for us to start exporting across Canada and then outside of Canada as well. We already have a HACCP-certified facility." BC Food & Beverage's 2024 Rise Awards attracted 400 people to Anvil Centre in New Westminster on Nov. 29, a night when "exceptional leaders, innovators and brands" were recognized in 16 categories. “These awards showcase the talent, dedication and innovation that define B.C.’s food and beverage industry,” James Donaldson, CEO of BC Food & Beverage, raved in a news release, posted online . Other Rise Awards winners are Terra Breads (Hall of Fame inductee), Chocxo Chocolatier (Best in Brand), Vancouver Island Sea Salt (Circularity), Fine Choice Foods (Export), Authentic Indigenous Seafood (Indigenous Led Business of the Year), Blume (Innovation), Jeff Lee of Honey Bee Zen Apiaries (Leadership), Fine Choice Foods (Outstanding Workplace, Health & Safety), Salt Spring Kitchen Co. (People's Choice), Salt Spring Coffee (Social Impact), Chiwis (Sustainability) and Binny Boparai-Gill of Farming Karma Fruit Company (Woman Entrepreneur of the Year). Products of the year are Plant-based Crumbles-Chorizo, made by The Better Butchers (Gold award), Honey Salt Popcorn, Popstastic (Silver) and Dark Chocolate Lemon Crème Cups, Chocxo Chocolatier (Bronze).

Child dies following e-scooter collisionSANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will miss Sunday's game against the Packers with a sore throwing shoulder.Struggling video game retailer and notorious meme stock GameStop has revealed its intention to close a significant number of stores across the United States after shutting down 300 locations in the previous year. One analyst noted, “GameStop has virtually no chance of returning to profitability in its core business.” The Daily Mail reports that GameStop, the well-known video game retailer, is facing challenging times as it grapples with declining sales and profitability. The company recently announced its plans to close a substantial number of stores nationwide, following the closure of 300 locations last year. The number of stores that will shut down is not yet known. This move comes as part of GameStop’s comprehensive store portfolio optimization review, which aims to streamline operations and adapt to the changing retail landscape. According to the company’s filing with the SEC, net sales have dropped by 20 percent, now standing at $860 million compared to $1.08 billion in 2023. Despite still generating income, GameStop’s core business operations continue to decline, as noted by Wedbush analysts. They stated, “GameStop has virtually no chance of returning to profitability in its core business.” The exact locations slated for closure have not been determined yet, as the company’s review process is still ongoing. However, GameStop anticipates that the number of store closures may exceed those of previous years. The retailer, founded in 1984, has been struggling to maintain its foothold in the market as consumers increasingly shift towards digital downloads, streaming services, and online shopping for their gaming needs. In March, GameStop reported the closure of 287 stores worldwide over the past 12 months, reducing its physical presence to just over 4,000 locations. The announcement led to a 15 percent drop in the company’s shares, with a further decline of more than seven percent in September. As more stores are expected to close, GameStop is exploring the introduction of new services and products to expand its market reach. One such initiative is the collaboration with Collectors Holdings through its Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) division, which allows GameStop to become an authorized PSA dealer. This partnership enables the retailer to offer trading card authentication and grading services at select stores nationwide. However, Wedbush analysts remain skeptical about the impact of this new addition on the company’s overall performance, noting that it follows “failed attempts at an omnichannel strategy and at NFT trading.” The analysts also highlighted the significant decline in annual revenue, with hardware and accessory sales plummeting by 28 percent and software sales falling by 15 percent. Additionally, collectible sales have experienced a 3.7 percent decrease, according to Retail Dive. Beyond the United States, GameStop has announced plans to cease operations in Germany by the end of the current fiscal year. The company is also slowing down its activities in Italy after completely withdrawing from Ireland, Austria, and Switzerland in 2023. GameStop was the epicenter for the meme stock craze of 2021 that caused severe losses for financial firms betting against the company’s future. As recently as June of this year, the company’s shares spiked based on meme stock trading. Read more at the Daily Mail here. Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.The only thing that matters for the Chicago Bears for the rest of the season is developing rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, but he and the rest of the team would surely like to scrape together a few more wins. And a victory eluded them once again Sunday. Chicago's losing streak extended to five with a 30-27 overtime loss to the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field. The 9-2 Vikings won with a John Parker Romo field goal and are trending in the opposite direction with four victories in a row as they attempt to remain within striking distance of the dominant Detroit Lions in the NFC North. But it wasn't all bad from the Bears' perspective. Williams looked excellent for most of the game and finished 32-of-47 for 340 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions. He also led his team back from an 11-point deficit in the final 30 seconds with a touchdown pass to Keenan Allen and deep throw to DJ Moore to set up a field goal after Chicago recovered an onside kick. It was an incredible individual effort that deserved to be rewarded with more than yet another loss, but that is life for a Bears quarterback. Social media at least had plenty of praise for the rookie: Despite the losing streak, there is reason for optimism in Chicago. That Williams' performance came on the heels of another impressive showing last time out against the Green Bay Packers is notable because those are the two games since the Bears fired offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. Chicago outgained Green Bay, didn't turn it over and saw Williams move the ball into game-winning field goal territory just for Cairo Santos' kick to be blocked in that game. Yet that offensive momentum continued in the early going Sunday, as Williams picked apart Minnesota's secondary throughout the first half. He showed more chemistry with Keenan Allen than he has all year and also unleashed a beautiful pass to D'Andre Swift while running to his right that helped set up a Roschon Johnson touchdown. Yet the Bears are still the Bears, and the optimism faded as it so often does. Santos had another kick blocked in the first half, and the defense had no answers for Jordan Addison (eight catches for 162 yards and one touchdown) or T.J. Hockenson (seven catches for 114 yards). Elsewhere, drops from Swift, Cole Kmet and others undercut the work Williams was doing, and DeAndre Carter let a punt hit his leg in the red zone for a turnover that set up an Aaron Jones touchdown. That sequence came after the Bears had to rush a failed fourth-down attempt because Matt Eberflus sent the field goal unit out and then changed his mind after the angry Soldier Field crowd greeted him with the boos that should be overwhelmingly familiar for the head coach. It all led to a rookie quarterback getting no help as he fought against the organizational incompetence that has largely defined the Bears for the last three decades. And fight he did with two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter and the incredible sequence at the end of regulation. It was a sign of things that may be to come in the Windy City, especially if the front office makes a necessary coaching change during the upcoming offseason. Yet the Bears dropped a game in excruciating fashion for the third time during this losing streak as the winning field goal went through the uprights. It was more of the same for a team that lost on the final play against the Packers and Washington Commanders as well, but at least the quarterback of the future is in place.

NEW YORK (AP) — Same iconic statue, very different race. With two-way star Travis Hunter of Colorado and Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty leading the field, these certainly aren't your typical Heisman Trophy contenders. Sure, veteran quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel from top-ranked Oregon and Cam Ward of No. 15 Miami are finalists for college football's most prestigious award as well, but the 90th annual ceremony coming up Saturday night at Lincoln Center in New York City offers a fresh flavor this year. To start with, none of the four are from the powerhouse Southeastern Conference, which has produced four of the past five Heisman winners — two each from Alabama and LSU. Jeanty, who played his home games for a Group of Five team on that peculiar blue turf in Idaho more than 2,100 miles from Manhattan, is the first running back even invited to the Heisman party since 2017. After leading the country with 2,497 yards rushing and 29 touchdowns, he joined quarterback Kellen Moore (2010) as the only Boise State players to be named a finalist. “The running back position has been overlooked for a while now," said Jeanty, who plans to enter the 2025 NFL draft. "There's been a lot of great running backs before me that should have been here in New York, so to kind of carry on the legacy of the running back position I think is great. ... I feel as if I'm representing the whole position.” With the votes already in, all four finalists spent Friday conducting interviews and sightseeing in the Big Apple. They were given custom, commemorative watches to mark their achievement. “I'm not a watch guy, but I like it,” said Hunter, flashing a smile. The players also took photos beneath the massive billboards in Times Square and later posed with the famous Heisman Trophy, handed out since 1935 to the nation's most outstanding performer. Hunter, the heavy favorite, made sure not to touch it yet. A dominant player on both offense and defense who rarely comes off the field, the wide receiver/cornerback is a throwback to generations gone by and the first full-time, true two-way star in decades. On offense, he had 92 catches for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns this season to help the 20th-ranked Buffaloes (9-3) earn their first bowl bid in four years. On defense, he made four interceptions, broke up 11 passes and forced a critical fumble that secured an overtime victory against Baylor. Hunter played 688 defensive snaps and 672 more on offense — the only Power Four conference player with 30-plus snaps on both sides of the ball, according to Colorado research. Call him college football’s answer to baseball unicorn Shohei Ohtani. “I think I laid the ground for more people to come in and go two ways,” Hunter said. “It starts with your mindset. If you believe you can do it, then you'll be able to do it. And also, I do a lot of treatment. I keep up with my body. I get a lot of recovery.” Hunter is Colorado's first Heisman finalist in 30 years. The junior from Suwanee, Georgia, followed flashy coach Deion Sanders from Jackson State, an HBCU that plays in the lower level FCS, to the Rocky Mountains and has already racked up a staggering combination of accolades this week, including The Associated Press player of the year. Hunter also won the Walter Camp Award as national player of the year, along with the Chuck Bednarik Award as the top defensive player and the Biletnikoff Award for best wide receiver. “It just goes to show that I did what I had to do,” Hunter said. Next, he'd like to polish off his impressive hardware collection by becoming the second Heisman Trophy recipient in Buffaloes history, after late running back Rashaan Salaam in 1994. “I worked so hard for this moment, so securing the Heisman definitely would set my legacy in college football,” Hunter said. “Being here now is like a dream come true.” Jeanty carried No. 8 Boise State (12-1) to a Mountain West Conference championship that landed the Broncos the third seed in this year's College Football Playoff. They have a first-round bye before facing the SMU-Penn State winner in the Fiesta Bowl quarterfinal on New Year’s Eve. The 5-foot-9, 215-pound junior from Jacksonville, Florida, won the Maxwell Award as college football’s top player and the Doak Walker Award for best running back. Jeanty has five touchdown runs of at least 70 yards and has rushed for the fourth-most yards in a season in FBS history — topping the total of 115 teams this year. He needs 132 yards to break the FBS record set by Heisman Trophy winner Barry Sanders at Oklahoma State in 1988. In a pass-happy era, however, Jeanty is trying to become the first running back to win the Heisman Trophy since Derrick Henry for Alabama nine years ago. In fact, quarterbacks have snagged the prize all but four times this century. Gabriel, an Oklahoma transfer, led Oregon (13-0) to a Big Ten title in its first season in the league and the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff. The steady senior from Hawaii passed for 3,558 yards and 28 touchdowns with six interceptions. His 73.2% completion rate ranks second in the nation, and he's attempting to join quarterback Marcus Mariota (2014) as Ducks players to win the Heisman Trophy. “I think all the memories start to roll back in your mind,” Gabriel said. Ward threw for 4,123 yards and led the nation with a school-record 36 touchdown passes for the high-scoring Hurricanes (10-2) after transferring from Washington State. The senior from West Columbia, Texas, won the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback of the Year award and is looking to join QBs Vinny Testaverde (1986) and Gino Torretta (1992) as Miami players to go home with the Heisman. “I just think there's a recklessness that you have to play with at the quarterback position,” Ward said. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballThe Physician's Role in Curing the Social Media Epidemic

Mining the Northwest: Opportunities abound for new Musselwhite owner to grow gold resources, shave costs

Spending squeeze ‘could cost more than 10,000 Civil Service jobs’At each Cabinet meeting, two public questions can be submitted in advance for the leader and Cabinet to answer. The Cabinet, the council's main decision-making body, consists of 10 councillors who oversee areas such as transport, health, and housing. Follow-up questions can also be asked during the meetings. Cabinet member for Organisation, Innovation and Co-operation, Cllr Nathan Sudworth, said: "We’ve introduced public questions at our Cabinet meetings as another opportunity for people to take part in local democracy." He added that this initiative ensures accountability for decisions made for Warrington and its communities. Residents can question current projects or priorities, or seek the Cabinet's views on local issues. Cllr Sudworth encouraged residents to put forward their questions. The next Cabinet meetings are scheduled for Monday, January 13, 2025, and Monday, February 10, 2025. Questions must be submitted by 9am, seven working days before the meeting, to democraticandmemberservices@warrington.gov.uk. The council meeting committee calendar is available on the council's committee management system. Questions for the Cabinet must be submitted in writing or electronically to the Democratic Services Manager by the deadline. Each meeting can accommodate only two questions. A five-minute time limit is in place for each question, which includes asking the question, the response, and a supplementary question and answer. Supplementary questions must relate to the answer given and have a 30-second time limit. If more than two valid questions are received for one meeting, the earliest submissions will be considered. Questions not considered can be resubmitted for future meetings. This initiative is part of the council's efforts to ensure transparency and accountability, allowing residents to have a say in the decisions that impact their communities. For more information, residents can visit the council's committee management system online.

Ariana Grande's health: A timeline of the obsession surrounding her body imageCam Carter put LSU ahead for good with a jumper 1:08 into the third overtime and the Tigers came away with a wild 109-102 win over UCF on Sunday in the third-place game of the Greenbrier Tip-Off in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. Carter's make sparked a 5-0 spurt for LSU (5-1), which mounted a ferocious second-half rally that began after Darius Johnson drilled a 3-pointer to put the Knights up 52-34 with 12:57 to play in regulation. UCF (4-2) got back within two in the third overtime, but it never found a way to draw even. Vyctorius Miller and Jordan Sears sealed the victory, combining for three buckets down low that gave the Tigers a 106-99 cushion with 17 seconds remaining. Carter was the late-game hero for LSU, scoring the final four points of regulation to forge a 70-70 tie. He also knocked down a go-ahead 3-pointer with 3:19 left in the first extra session to give the Tigers a 76-75 advantage. Sears gave LSU a four-point edge with a triple of his own with 2:10 to go, but the Tigers failed to stay in front, and UCF's Keyshawn Hall kept the game going by sinking two free throws with six seconds remaining to make it 82-82. Neither team led by more than three in the second overtime, with Hall again coming to the Knights' rescue. He made two layups in the final 52 seconds of the frame to knot things at 93 and send the teams to a third OT. Few could have predicted 15 minutes of extra basketball after UCF put together a 25-3 first-half run that lifted it to a 38-18 advantage with 2:12 left until the break. LSU responded with seven unanswered points, but the Knights still led comfortably, 40-25, at intermission. Sears finished with a game-high-tying 25 points to go along with nine boards, while Jalen Reed recorded a 21-point, 13-rebound double-double for the Tigers. Carter netted 20 points, Miller had 16 and Dji Bailey chipped in 14. Johnson collected 25 points, six rebounds, eight assists and five steals for UCF. Hall totaled 21 points and 10 boards, and Jordan Ivy-Curry supplied 20 points. LSU outshot UCF 43.2 percent to 40.7 percent and had narrow advantages from behind the arc (12 made shots to 10) and the free-throw line (21-18). --Field Level MediaThe Physician's Role in Curing the Social Media Epidemic

I visited the winter destination with one of Europe’s longest slides, two Christmas markets and ‘gluhwein’

Briefly 11-22SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will miss Sunday's game against the Packers with a sore throwing shoulder.The Finnish police say Simon Ekpa, the self-acclaimed leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), will remain in custody until his trial. The police said the Finnish legal system does not permit his bail due to the nature of the offence he is being held for. On November 21, law enforcement in the northern European nation arrested the pro-Biafra agitator. He was subsequently sent to prison by the district court of Päijät-Häme for “spreading terrorist propaganda on social media”. Ekpa was said to have committed the crime in 2021 in Lahti municipality. He is accused of instigating violence and inciting terror in the south-east of Nigeria through his social media pages. The federal government has been demanding the extradition of Ekpa, a dual citizen of Finland and Nigeria, for prosecution. Also, Ekpa is scheduled to face charges in May 2025. When asked if Ekpa’s charges were bailable, Mikko Laaksonen, a senior detective superintendent at Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation, in an email sent to PUNCH on Saturday, said: “Finnish criminal procedure/coercive measures do not recognise bail procedure.” “Our procedure is based on, depending on the case, remand or travel ban as coercive measures for limiting the freedom of movement for persons suspected of offences to which such measures are applicable,” he added.